Seeing Zack again
by InuYashafan321
Summary: Can Cloud survive his jurney and see Zack again.
1. Chapter 1

On this certain day everyone but Cloud was away, Tifa was out with Marlline and Denzle, Barret was helping Cid with his ship, Vincent well who the hell knows where he goes, and Yuffi was most likle searching for new and rare materia.

Cloud was thinking of getting some beer out but decided agenst it and drifted into thought.

What I wouldn't do to see Zack again, he thought and went into old memories he remembered from when he worked for Shin-Ra, curse its name.

Cloud's pov

So you wish to see Zack again. Cloud then awoke from his thoughts.

"Yes I would do almost anything even just to speek with him" I said turning around with a little exitment mixed with cureoscity on who was talking to him. I stoped for a minute wondering if Tifa came back an overheard me accedently speek out loud without knowing it.

"Good" the voice asked again.

This time I noticed that the voice was disenbodied and was slightly startled by that fact.

"what do I have to do" I demanded

"You must help a woman that goes by the name of Lightning" the voice was interrupted by a small gigle.

"what's so funny" the voice asked.

"Lightning hides in clouds waiting to strike." "So when do I get to see Zack" I demanded again.

"You will be reunited with him at the end of your journey" the voice answered.

"Is there anything else I should know?" I asked.

"You will have all of your materia confiscated untill then and you can't take Fenrir ether only your swords" the voice answered.

"Fine will I know this Lightning when I see him or her?" I asked while gathering my swords in the bag mounted on my back.

"Yes, she has pink hair and is dressed in a white tanktop jacked with a brown tanksop sweater underneath and has a small brown miniskirt" the voice said before I fell to my knees on the verge of passing out and soon after I did.

"Heeey wake up heey are you awake" I hered and responded by slowly opening his eyes.

After my vision returned I saw a redheaded girl and a silver headed boy and looking around it seemed like I was in an ancient building.

"Hey where am I" I asked the two.

"The hanging edge inside the Pulse vestige" the silver headed boy replied.

The red headed girl spoak up "I'm Vanille and this is Hope and you are?" she asked.

"I'm Cloud" I answered after I got to my feet we heard screaches and looked around.

"Whats that?" Vanille asked

"I don't know" Hope said

Then we were sorounded by some sorta creature all of a sudden one of them were shoved aside and a tall man in a trench coat appeard in front of them.

"Lets even these odds" he said.

The fight ended pritty fast thanks to our new friend.

"We need to get moving." "These guys may be weak but a group may prove chalenging" I said.

"Follow me" the man in the trench coat said pointing to a platform.

Lightning's pov

We, meaning my uninvited company and I, continued torward a platform after dispatching what the dark skinned man called cie'th. We were able to get onto the platform and it slid up ward and in the middle of the floor was a girl with pink hair.

"Serah" I yelled runing over to the girl.

I then procided to pick her up and turned to leave when the man steped in front of me.

"That's a pulse brand, that girls a l'cie" he said that reaching for the pistol on his left side. I noticed this and turned to the left slightly.

"So they should die" I said.

"If she fails her focus you know how that'll end" he said.

"And killing her is a mercie" I yelled back.

'You came" a third person said and I looked down at Serah.

"Serah" another voice shouted as four people desended through the air. The man in the trench coat jumped of when it cam closer to the ground he ran up to her as I set her down.

"Is that my hero" Serah asked as the man put her hand in his.

"It's ok I'm here now" he said.

Serah then looked up at me, "please save Cocoon" She said as she rose up and began to turn to crystal.

"Serah sweat dreams" the trench coat wearing man said.

"Sweat dreams" my voice picked up a bit with a little bit of sadness. "Serah's not sleeping she's" I stopped.

"She's not dead remmember the legend those who complete their focus turn to crystal and gain eternal life she's not dead" he explained.

Then the ground started to shake and red cables shot through the walls Snow and I were covering the crystalized Serah. After the shaking stoped the Snow went up the stairs.

"Hey where you going trench coat?" my friend in the green coat asked.

"Date with the fal'cie" Snow responded.

I turned around as well and passed him.

"Lightning" he said with a smirk.

We walked up the stairs and into what you would call the Fal'cies den.

"So this is what a Fal'cie looks like" the dark skined man said. I noticed that there was alot more to our group and that annoyed me.

I looked over and Snow was down on his knee's begging the Fal'cie to spair Serah.

"Alright you go on begging, Serah said to protect Cacoon that means this thing has to die" I yelled drawing my gunblade. The floor then lit up and the mecanical parts came to life.

I looked around and saw the blond man telling something to the kids, i assumed he told them to get out. I then looked over to the other side.

"Hey you know you don't have to fight right" I asked the dark skinned.

He mumbled something then grabbed his pistols, "I Hope you don't mind an amateur." I got these might as well put them to use" he said getting into a fighting stance.

"Thanks" I said turning back to the Fal'cie just as the blond man ran up beside me.


	2. Chapter 2

Lightning's pov

The next thing I knew I was on something very cold.

"Serah!' Snow yelled. Which made everyone else jump and wake up.

When our vision cleard we were able to see where we were.

"This must be Lake Bresha and we fell from up there and the lake turned to crystal. Come on help me out here how did we end up here did the Fal'cie do this" The black man said trying to comprehend what happend.

Snow butted in "no one survives a fall from that hight Serah saved us."

I heard someone say look out. I didnt recognize the voice though.

Snow then pushed me back a little and blocked one of the cie'ths attacks then he went to punch it and his hand filled with ice as he swung and he took it out in one hit.

"What did I just do?" he asked grabing his arm.

"You used magic the Fal'cie cursed us were L'cie now" Hope said.

"Theres more" Vanille said pointing toward the cie'th.

"Right" I said swiching my gunblade to sword form.

The fight wasn't to hard to handle except for teying to keep the kids safe. The blonde man and I took most of them out.

"So we really are L'cie" Snow said looking at his brand.

My brand was in the center of my chest. The black mans was only half visible on his chest.

Snow looked at Vanille and said "you too."

She shook her head yes and lifted here skirt and showed the brand which was almost high enough to be on her left but cheek.

"Ok" snow said felling a little diturbed and turned around.

Clouds pov

"Whats with all this Fal'cie, cie'th, and L'cie stuff" I thought to my self.

"Hey you." I herd and turned around.

"Where's your brand?" Snow asked.

I then notice the brand they spoak of was on my left arm around were the geostigma once was. I turned and showed the group.

"Is this what you mean?" I asked pointing to the marks on my arm.

"Yeah thats a brand" Snow responded

"L'cie to the last" Lightning said turning toward Hope.

Hope looked on his arm and said "why me I don't even know you and you have to go and attack that thing." "You could have, its your fault moms this is all your and Serah's fault" he yelled while standing up.

"Watch it" Snow said steping forward.

Hope fell back and crawled back ward till he Lightning's legs. He then turns onto his knees and put his head in his hand.

Vanille walked over to Hope, "It'll be ok you'll see" she said pulling him to his feet and practicly dragging him to follow her.

"Well guess we better follow them" Snow said signaling everyone else to follow him.

We followed them untill they stopped along an egde

Lightnings pov

"So if we don't know are focus how do we complete it" I asked the group.

"I think I saw it" Hope said in a low tone.

"Saw what" I said turnning toward him.

"That is how a focus comes down people" The black man said.

I turned to face him.

"Uh huh" Snow and I said simotaniesly.

"Well thats what the say legends, legends" he said.

"What did you see?" I turned and asked the boy.

"Well it was all kinda foggie but I saw this big I mean towering thing" Hope answerd.

"Hold on now," the black man started," did we all have the same dream.'

"Ragnorrock" Snow and I said together.

"Well I'm gonna look for Serah she should be close" Snow said running off.

"I'll come too!" Vanille yelled as she chased after him.

I looked back at the others and started off.

After some more cie'th fights I noticed that the blond headed boy semmed familiar with magic.

Snows pov

"Well I might as well make introducktions I'm Snow, Snow Villiers" I said.

I turned to the boy, "short stuff."

"Hope estheim" he replied.

"Vanille' the redheaded girl said.

"Sazh Katzroy" the dark skinned man said.

"What about her" Vanille said.

I presumed she ment Lightning.

"Lightning bodhum security last name's Farron first anybodies geuss" I said with a laugh.

I almost for got about the blond headed guy so I walked over to him.

"How about you?"

"Cloud Strife" he said.

"Whats with all the swords?" Hope asked. I didn't expect him to answer him but he did.

"When I fight I can attach the other five swords to this one" he said taking the biggest one out. "Then I can use my best attack."

Clouds pov

"These people seem nice' I thought to my self.

Suddenly I heard a bunch of foot steps.

"Freeze put your hands on your heads" the soldier said. Everyone but Lightning and I did what they asked right away.

'You fall of the purge train" he said walking a little closer.

"Why do I need to follow there comands I haven't followed orders sence my day's in SOLDIER."

I cringed at the thoughts of SOLDIER. I started to walk up to the group of soldiers.

"Hey you freeze" he said but at this point I was filled with old memories of pain and anger so I didn't care what he said.

He then fired at me but I blocked the bullets easily with my sword and then I blindly rushed them which startled the group and caught them off gaurd. I sliced through all of them but the one next to Lightning as not to injur her.

She was more than capible of handeling more than one I thought. When I turned around the soldier was lieing on the ground as I anticeapated.

I then cleaned my face of blood and then walked past the group.

'Come on lets try to find Serah" Sazh said.

"And with new friends met and something to strive for I will be able to see my dear friend again" I thought as we set off to find Serah.


	3. Chapter 3

Clouds pov

Snow was leading our group through the water encased in ice path.

"Hey Snow" I said catching up to him, "who is Serah.

"She's Lightnings sister and soon to be my wife well after we find her and get her uncrystalized she will be" he explained

We continued to walk without much conversation but I was used to that sort of thing. When I looked behind me I saw Vanilles eyes wide as if she were saprised about somthing.

"Even the train fell through" Vanille spoak up. When she said that I looked a little ways in front of me and saw the train or what I thought was the train. The technology here is really different.

"I guess we have to cross" Hope said.

I tolled everyone to be careful when crossing because it may be unstable.

Lightnings pov

After everyone was acrossed the train car I noticed a group of crystals and in the middle of.

"Serah!" Snow yelled and brushed past me.

I saw him run up to her but I couldn't here what he said but he did start to chip away at the crystal Sazh and Vanille ran up and began helped out too.

I walked over to them then stopped in my tracks.

I turned around and mumbled, "good bye" under my breath so no one would hear me and started to walk away.

Snow turned around "your just gonna leave."

I turned around and went up and punched him in the face. He then fell down on top of Sazh.

'The army can come at anytime we need to keep going!" I yelled.

"So I run and save myself" he responded while getting up but before he fully got to his feet I hit him again.

Sazh got up and walked away.

"You just can't admit it but you want to stay as much as he does."

If I wasn't occupied with Snow I would have hit him too.

Sazhs pov

I leand against a crystal rock.

Cloud came up to me.

"Are they always like this" he asked while sitting on another near by rock.

"This is the first time meating any of you guys so I dont know."

"Hey Cloud do you mind if I call you spiky."

"Ha" I heard him chuckle.

"What if you don't want me to call you that I wont."

"No no it's fine, I have a friend that calls me that so it's a little funny."

"Oh, I guess that would be funny."

"Ahh whats that I said looking up. No no no no not now!" I yelled trying to get the others atenstion.

Lightnings pov

I heard Sazh yelling so I turned around to see that scorpion robot we dealt with before. We rushed over with weapons drawn.

Cloud jumped on its back and jabbed his sword in its neck. I knew the metal wouldn't be penetrated easly with a sword so I tried to show him the weak spot by shooting around the eyes but he didn't get the message.

Cloud got shaken of and his stomace slashed open by the tail of our enemie luckily Hope and Vanille were blessed with mostly healing spells so it was like he never got hit.

Snow was basicly deffending so Hope and Vanille could go on with out inturuption.

Sazh and I were taking the challange of shooting at the eyes but we were having a hard time because it was moving around too much.

Cloud some how got the robot into the air renduring it helpless so we just beat it to death before it had time to hit the ground.

I wanted to thank him but we don't have time for thing like that. I started to walk away but Snow stopped me but I brushed past him.

"Lightning" he said in a low tone witch made me stop. "I will save Serah and protect Cocoon thats my promise."

"Great Job so far" I said trying to keep my anger in check.

"See ya" Cloud and Sazh said following me.

"Get going" Snow said walking back to Serah. Hope and Vanille waved and headed off.

Clouds pov

I didn't want to leave him behind but I knew we needed to keep moving. We continued to fight the cieth and some type of frog fish thing.

We came to the opening to a cave witch was about 15 feet high and 9 feet wide.

After going through a considerable amount of the cave it finaly opened up.

"Wow this whole place is crystal" vanille said with amasment.

I noticed a few ledges on the far wall. For some resson I was drawn to a single one. I looked closer and realized there was a box.

"Hey what's that glowing light from that box" Hope asked.

I pondered a minute "hey I'll go check it out" I said swifly jumping to the ledge. When I got the box open I saw somthing I couldn't beleive and I woundered why it was here when it shouldn't be.


	4. Chapter 4

Clouds pov

"Cloud' I heard someone yell. I then looked up.

"What's in the box?" Vanille asked.

"I can't tell you because you wouldn't know what it is." I then jumped trying to get back to were Lightning and the others were but because of the wieght of the box I fell short so I had to jab my sword into the crystal wall.

"Spiky!" I heard Sazh yell while running up to the edge.

"I'm ok, here catch" I said throwing the box up to him. I then climed back up.

"Wow what are those colored sphears?" Vanille asked

"Those are called matiria."

"What are they?" Hope asked grabing one.

I quickly grabed it out of his hands. "Don't play with them."

"These are consintrated energy from the planets core which hold magic inside of them you insert them into your arm like this." "It will feal weird the first time you do it." "Now you should use the type of materia opposite of the magic you have now." "Hope and Vanille you shouldn't put more than one to two in your bodies because your bodies aren't complete yet." Sazh you can put up to four and Lightning you can have up to six because your body is used to the strain of fighting."

Lightning's pov

I didn't realy get this whole materia thing at first but I after thinking it over i got the concept.

"Cloud is this type of magic cursed like our L'cie magic is" I asked.

"No it dosen't do anything to the bodie as long as you don't go past the limit of how many you can put in your arm"

"Ok." I thought of what type of magic I didn't have and got the materia I wanted.

'What are you going to do with the extras?" Sazh asked giving the rest to Cloud.

"How many are left?" I asked walking up to them.

"Four, I'm going to keep them we can switch materia out for other ones thats good because the extra ones are all sommons If we meat back up with Snow we will have to give him some other than sommons." "I also think he can use them while he's deffending with those enhansed gaurd abillities."

'Anyway we should get moving" I said.

"So do we have any idea where we're going to go" Vanille asked the group.

"No but we'll go were ever the path leads" Cloud said trying to reasher her.

After we left the cave we came up to some sort of rock stuckture which looked half destroied.

"So do you think theres anything we could use in there?" Sazh asked. But no one had an answer.

Then Cloud stoped dead in his tracks.

Clouds pov

"Cloud whats wrong?" Lightning asked with a worried tone.

My eyes couldn't beleive what I was seeing. No one was to come with me but how I don't understand.

"Cloud!" Lightning yelled slaping him acrossed his face which woke him up from his trance like state.

"Hey what was that for?" I said pushing his forhead up against hers making her fall off balance. Lightning then put the same amount of force back on Cloud.

"I was trying to see if you were ok" She barked back.

"Well you didn't need to slap me in the face!"

"Hey we don't have the time for this!" Hope yelled.

"So Cloud what's wrong?" Vanille asked.

"I can't say I hope you can respect that but the unconcious person up ahead is one of my friends but, they shouldn't be here I just don't get it."

"Well we should go see if they're ok" Vanille and Hope said dragging him back to his feet.

'What is going to happen now?" Thats the only thing in my mind the whole time we were walking toward my friend.


	5. Chapter 5

Unknown pov

"Where am I." "I can't move at the moment, why is that?"

"I was with Denzle and Marlene but now I can't tell were I am."

'Huh, why is my arm shaking without my controle?"

"Huh, who's mumbling at me?"

"Tifa!" Cloud yells.

I shot up.

"Huh, Cloud where am I?" I asked my dear friend.

"we're on a planet named Cacoon." "I ask you please don't ask why your here because I only know why I'm here."

"Ok."

Lightnings pov

"Hey Cloud" I said walking over to see how they were doing.

"She has woken up but she's weak how long do you think we have before the army gets here?" Cloud responded.

"I don't know but we can rest for a bit and besides we can take them out easy because of the magic and matiria."

"Ok thanks."

Cloud then preceded to bring the girl over to the rest of the group.

"Here Tifa rest against this rock wall for now."

Cloud then stood up, "her name is Tifa I'm not sure if she has the same brand we do."

"I know you don't come from our world" I inturupted Cloud. "Now why are you here?" I asked in a firm voice.

"Ok,"he started, "I had a friend who risked his life to save mine he did die." "Where I live everyone was out and I was just thinking of him and I heard a voice saying that if I helped you I could see him again so I agread to the conditions."

"What were they?" I inturupted again.

"That I was to not have any friends to acopany me, I couldn't bring any matiria,I could only bring my swords." "I didn't mean to deceive you in any way I just wanted to see my friend again."

"I can understand that" Sazh said getting up and walking over to him.

"I can't say that it's the same thing but I have someone I want to see again." "But because of what happend to that person and I don't mean death but something else and because of what happend to us I may not be able to see him for a long time."

"I see well when this is over I hope you can see the person you wish too."

"Now I don't know why we've got materia or why Tifa is here I just don't get it."

"Cloud everything will workout in the end" Vanille said trying to reasure him this time.

Clouds pov

After the disscution ended Tifa was able to walk and she was informed of what was going on.

"I know its hard to beleive Tifa but it's true."

"Ok, when will we be able to return home."

"I'm not sure but we will get home eventually I promise."

"Ok time to get moving" Lightning said forcing a kind tone of voice out of here mouth.

We continued to move through the area Tifa was given materia from Hope and Vanille because they mostly used the healing abillities and didn't fight unless it was needed but inturn they were buth given one sommon materia.

"Only use it if we can't fight ok" I told them.

We made it to were I thought to be the main area.

"So what should we do now?" Vanille then stopped. "Wow!"

"Stay close" Lightning warned.

"I want to look around" Vanille said as she began to walk around.

While Vanille looked around Hope and Sazh were having some fun of there own and Tifa, Lightning, and I were trying to think of where we should go from here.

Then, 'ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Vanille came running back to them with some sort of flying creature following her.

"What's that?" Hope asked.

'I don't know kid but we've got some truble if we don't do something" Sazh said.

The first thing I did was take its attention off of the group. Lightning signald me that she was going to jump on its back and try to get its eyes. But it noticed her right away so she started chanting the aero spell.

Sazh was trying to do what Lightning tried to do but from a distance and he did get one eye.

Lightnings aero spells weakend the thing, I was suprised that no one was injured at the time.

Tifa ran up to it and hit it as hard as she could which made it slam into the ground.

I then jumped into the air and dug a hole straight through the creatures skull.

"Hey look out it's getting back up!" Vanille yelled and pointed to the creature.

When it got back up it smashed through a orange crystal wall in the form of fire.

'What's it doing?" Hope asked

"It's charging" I said

'Charging for what?" Sazh asked in return.

"It's last moments" Lightning said chasing after it.

I soon followed suit as did the rest of us. When we caught up to the creature it looked half dead.

We did take care of the monster reather fast but, we had to take a short break before looking around.

"Hey look at this" Vanille said directing the group over to a big plain.

"Knowing are luck it's probably missing an engin' Sazh said crossing his arms.

"You shouldn't be so negative" She replied.

"And you shouldn't get your hopes up" He said heading to the cockpit.

Sazhs pov

'I think I can fly this thing.'

"Ok that's good but where should we take it?" Hope asked sitting back in his seat.

"Well I'm not sure."

"Let's just get going" Lightning said rudely.

The ships engin started and they lanched up into the tunnle like thing and as it did about 10 to 12 airships shot down at them.

"Oh this isn't good" Sazh said avoiding the blasts.

"Give me that" Lightning snaped and grabbed the control and pulling the triger. One of the air ships exploded from the bullets.

"Did we get them?" Vanille asked.

"We got one of them" Lightning responded.

"There's still more!" Hope yelled up to them.

I slaped Lightnings hand off the controlls, "do you want to die?" I snaped.

"How are we going to lose them?" Hope asked sitting up.

"You got me kid" I said dodging some fire.

"Then let me" Lightning said about to get up.

"No thank you" I replied.

I saw a rock formation and shot at it then before it fell I swooped under it and the other plains exploded.

After we got out of the mess we slowed down to a normal flying speed and then the news came on.

There was a young woman talking about the succesfull compleation of the purge. 'Now a word from the Primark" she said.

"Yes there is no denying the strees the purge placed on us."

They went back to the news room but this time there was a young man.

"When asked about the possibility of future purge's the Primark said that he would consult with the Fal'cie Eden and wiegh all options before making a decistion"

They then went back to the Primark I just turned my screan off.

"Umm who is this guy?" I heard Vanille ask.

'He's Galenth Dysley,murderur in cheif' I told her. "I mean what do they teach kids these days" I added.

Then a warning light flashed. "There back" Cloud said in a calm voice.

"Points for perserverence" I said sarcasticly.

We flew higher up into the sky. We were just about blinded by some sorta light.

When I could see again I noticed it was a fal'cie. "A Fal'cie up close and personal."

The warning light flashed again. "We're taking hits' I said tightning my grip on the controls trying to steady this air ship.

"Fly in" Lightning suggested.

I decided to trust her instinks and I flew in and right away it blew up the first plain behind us.

"I like this Fal'cie," I smirked.

Then something hit us and then we started to barrel down to the ground.


	6. Chapter 6

Clouds pov

"Uhhhhh man what the hell happend, oh yea we got shot down." I sat up and noticed lightning and the others were unconscious. "Hmm I guess I should let them sleep they most likely need it."

I was just about to turn my back when some of those red and silver dog like creatures came out from behind the rock. I knew I was weakend from being dazed by the crash but they couldn't be that tuff I thought as I drew my blade. I had a hard time keeping up with them and as a result I was scrached all over my body I then used my Curega materia.

Lightnings pov

I was woken up by something after my vision cleard I looked over and saw Cloud fighting and I rushed into help him we managed to get rid of one once I joind in the fight.

I looked over to the others and saw that Vanille was coming around.

"Hey you've got to wake up she" said to Hope,Tifa and Sazh. They did come around, shortly after Vanille yelled "look" and pointed to Cloud, me, and the enemies. They quickly got up to help.

After Vanille and the others got in the fight the rest of the enemies fell quickly.

Sazh sat down on the rock behind him.

"Glad that's over" Vanille said lieing down next to Sazh.

Tifa reluctantly sat down next to Sazh as well.

I contiued past them.

"What no break" Sazh complaind.

"They must be tracking us I'm sorry but we need to keep moving" Cloud said trying to calm him down.

"They are" I snapped.

"C'mon Cloud let's go" I said I was glad he followed for some reasson.

Sazhs pov

"Umm" Hope started.

"I'd go with her if I were you" I told him.

"Later then" he said running after the two of them.

We sat there about a minute after Hope left. "Let's get going" Vanille suggested as she got up.

"I geuss it would be for the best" Tifa added.

"I guess we can be fugitives together" I said stumbling to my feet.

We walked down to the brigde that Hope crossed Then the ground started to shake as we looked up the thing I'm not sure what it was but it started to roll down to us and the brigde collapsed under the weight of the object.

"End of the road" I said.

"Well at least it's not the end of the line" Tifa said.

Clouds pov

I was walking with Lightning for a good amount of time that my ears adjusted to hearing two sets of foot steps so when I heard a third I immediatly turned around drew my sword and swung in the direction of the foot steps but I stopped a few inches away from Hopes head.

He fell back with a scared look on his face. "Sorry, I didn't expect someone to come so soon and you never know who or what is behind you" I said putting my sword away and ofering my other hand to help him up.

He hesitated to grab it though. "Just you" Lightning said. I could tell that she was annoyed with having to wait for the two of us.

"Yeah Should we wait for them?" Hope asked.

"No they'll catch up" Lightning ressponded.

We headed down the path in front of us we had to fight a moderat amount of the dog things and some drones as well.

I did notice that Hope wasn't as used to fighting as the rest of us I don't think he should fight it might ruin his life like it did to Zack's I don't want that to happen to any one else. I decided to keep him from fighting as much as I could.

Before I knew it we were at a dead end.

"Hey Lightning" Hope said.

"Call me light" she inturupted.

"Ok do you know where your going" Hope asked.

"I've been here before on missions I mean" Lightning said climing up to one of the walls that had metal slabs coming out of the side.

"Nothing to do with the purge thought?" he asked back.

"The purge is psicom's baby."

"Psicom?" he questiond.

"Is that the name of the army that's chasing us?" I asked steping up to were Lightning was.

"Yeah it means Public Securite and Intelegence command I was Guardean Corps."

I sat down I knew this would take a bit but I didn't mind because it gave me a chance to rest my self.

"So if you weren't with PSICOM why did you get on the train?" Hope asked.

"For Serah, I needed to get her before they brought the vestig back to pulse and out of my reach."

"I could never do something like that."

"Somethings in life you just do."

I noticed Lightning climing up the the wall so I jumped from the ground to the top of the cliff.

"Lightning, Cloud" I heard a voice call and I looked back noticing that Hope wasn't going to climb up but I knew Sazh, Tifa, and Vanille would find him but I still hesitated but I left him.

"They left me" I heard Hope say in a low tone.

Sazhs pov

"One two three uuupp we go" Vanille said climing on top of something.

"Now what are you up to?" I asked turning around only to see her butt. Then the chocobo chick chirped in my face.

"You see something you like" Tifa said jokingly and slaped me on the back.

"C'mon I'll help you up" she said kneeling down.

When we got over I notice that the tunnle like things were scrap parts from old air ships.

"Well let's get going" Tifa said grabing my collar and turning me around.

Once we exited the tunnle I noticed that the enemies we faced through this path were fightning each other.

"What the robot's are fightning each other now" Vanille said.

"Hey maybe we can just sneak on by and not have to waste our time in fights plus Lightning, Cloud, and Hope are most likely up ahead which means we can regroup faster" Tifa suggested.

"Yeah that might be for the best of it" I said back.

The first thing we did was look for a clear path or a blind spot in there feild of vision and once we did there was no truble getting through them.

We had to do it a few time's but it didn't take as long as fighting all of them.

"Hey isn't that Hope up ahead" Tifa said pointing to someone sitting on the rocks.

"Well let's go see" I said.

"Hey it is Hope" Vanille said pushing me to run toward him.

When we got to him, "Where's grumpy and spiky?" I asked all he did was look up at a rock wall with metal coming out of it.

"Got left behind" I said putting my hand on his shoulder. He then immediatly shook it off.

"This is pointless I can't fight can't get home Mom's gone" He pawssed.

"What about your dad?" Vanille asked.

"He doesn't care he never listens to anything I say."

"Any father cares" I spoke up.

"Sazh" Vanille said in a low tone.

"It's nothing" I said turning to a machine. "We'll get you home some how and I know your dad will be happy to see you." I then flipped the switch then a metal structure came tward us.

After we climed up we had to fight some robots but it wasn't anything trublesome for four people to handle.

We came up to a metal bridge, when we were almost acrossed as Lightning jumped down.

"Did ya miss us?" Vanille chirped.

Lightning just huffed off.

"Would it kill her to smile" I said sacasticle.

"Hey Lightning where's Cloud?" Tifa asked with a little worry in her voice.

"He's up ahead" she responded.

We headed up the path Lightning said Cloud went down.

After walking for a while we came to an open area and saw Cloud and some sorta mechanical robot.

"Cloud!" Tifa said running into the fight.

The robot noticed Tifa and slamed Cloud into the wall of junk putting him out of the fight.

"What is that?" Vanille asked drawing her weapon.

"Pulse armament" Lightning said.

"And thats bad for us isn't it?" I asked her.

"You have eyes don't you" is all she said before charging in.

Hope and my self started to and the enhansment spells while Lightning and Tifa were heading straight in with magic spells and sword slashes. Vanille was trying to get Cloud fixed up so he could get back in the fight when he woke up.

Hope and I soon joined in the fight and started casting every spell we knew.

Lightning and Tifa were getting worn out from the relentles attack strings they had unleashed on the pulse robot.

Finaly it stopped moving "Is it dead" I managed to huff out.

We were all exausted from casting so many spells.

The machean started to move again it lifted the front of it's body up and some sorta ball like thing started to charge up. "Move!" Lightning yelled just before it luanched it at us the floor the clapsed and we fell through.

"Every one ok?" Lightning asked.

"Yeah" Hope answerd just as the robot jumped down.

"It looks like we can get rid of it in a few attack strings if we pool all of our stength together" Cloud said almost falling down the hole.

"We have to move fast before" I colapse Cloud said raising his sword. "3, 2, 1, strike" he yelled as we ran forward hitting it with everything we had and it finaly fell to the ground.

"Few we killed it" I said putting my pistols away.

"Let's hurry and find a good place to camp for the night."

Lightning turned her back most likely giving it a thought.

"It doesn't even have to be for the night but atleast till every one gets there strenght back" Tifa said.

"Ok that seems fair" she said opening the door to a tunnle that led out of this hole.

I could tell she needed a break herself.

We did get to a suitable place after some walking.

Lightnings pov

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to take a rest but some one will need to keep watch" I said because I knew I was exausted and needed this chance to rest up.

"If only Vincent was here he'd keep watch all night and not move an inch unless something came up" Cloud said taking his swords out and started to clean them.

"So who will take the first watch?" Sazh asked sitting down next to Cloud.

"I guess I will" Tifa said.

"Well what are we going to eat?" Hope asked as if he didn't already know the answer.

"Nothing" Lightning started but was cut off by Tifa. "Well I have something here" she said opening a small pack and pulling out some food.

"Great" Hope said.

"I'll go and get something to put the meat on" Vanille said.

"I'll start to make the fire pit" Hope said.

"So Cloud when will we see your sword in it's compleat form?" I asked only because I've been woundering what it looks like.

"When I see an enemy worthy of being slain by it" he responded.

"How heavy is that thing it looks like it's made out of iron?" Sazh asked.

"Well its made out of a strong alloy that makes it almost indestructible." "That would most likely change if I let it rust."

"So do you clean it every chance you get?" Sazh asked.

"Yes Cleaning it doesn't change the durrability of it" Cloud said moving to the next sword.

"So how heavy is it?" Hope asked.

"It probably weighs more than me and even more when it's fully together" Cloud said.

"Can I see for my self?" I asked Cloud not believing that it could be that heavy.

"Is there AMP tech in it?" I asked.

"AMP?" he questioned.

"It can make your weapon lighter or make your attacks stronger" I explained.

"Oh seems helpful but I prefer to do something with my own strenght" he stopped.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing forget it."

"Well if you can lift it so can I" I said in a proud voice.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt" Cloud said getting up and grabbing the main sword. "But I'm not going to put all the swords in one I don't even think Snow could lift it then."

"When we meet back up with him we should she if can when we get the chance" Sazh said.

"I'd like to see him make a fool of him self" I said trying to hide a small grin.

Cloud and I Stood on the other side of the fire pit Hope had just finshed.

"Ok" He said holding the hilt up. I wraped my hands around it.

"Get ready" he said and let go as he did the point of the sword slammed straight to the ground.

I just stood there for a second suprised that it was this heavy. I tried to lift it but I couldn't get it past my waist.

"Here let me take that" Cloud said grabbing his sword and lifting it with only one hand.

"That thing is heavy" I said sitting down.

"Well it's heavier than the one my friend gave me on his deathbed and he got it from his mentor gave it to him on his deathbed."

"Well if I'm not going to far into your personal life can I hear the whole story" I asked while rubbing my wrists.

"Sure, mabye you can get to know why I want to see my friend again for more than the simple reason."


	7. Chapter 7

Clouds pov

"Well my friend and his mentor were the other owners I said." "When I first met Zack,"

"Zack" Sazh inturupted.

"My friend the one I breifly told you about." "Back to the story I first met Zack on the way to Modeohiem." "I was not a SOLDIER member but an infantry men at the time."

"We were walking there after Tsengs helicopture crashed for some reason." "We stombled on a large factory Zack went into the factory to investigate and ran into Genesis Rhapsodos and Dr. Hollander who were the top priority case at the time and Hollander tried to run away but I stepped in and grabbed him but he did get away and I chassed after him." "Genesis was a first class SOLDIER but he desserted his post and took a bunch of 2nds and 3rds with him and my friends mentor Angeal disserted as well but he was Genesis childhood friend as was Sephiroth but at that time Sephiroth was on the good side, well before we knew ShinRa was an evil company."

"After Zack had killed Genesis he went to Modeohiem he entered the building we were going to investigate in the first place and Tseng and I were out cold and Zack went ahead and Angeal was there and Zack had to fight him and kill him." When Angeal was dieing he gave the Buster Sword to Zack." "He never told me what Angeal told him on that day."

"Then we were asignd to go on a mission in Nibelheim which is Tifa's and my home town we were sent to collect info on the reactor there and why it was producing monsters." "While Sephiroth and Zack were inside I was told to make sure Tifa was safe and to watch the area." "Something happened inside the reactor because Sephiroth locked him self in the ShinRa mansion he read the many documents inside the lab." "One day he lost control he found records of something being found with the same name as his mothers." "He burned the town and he killed the towns people Tifa had gone up to the reactor there because her father was up there and so was Sephiroth." "So Zack went up there as fast as he could." "When he got there Tifa was sliced from the top of her left shoulder down to her right hip and was out on the floor."

"Zack enterd were Sephiroth was and he was talking to so mechanicle thing calling it mother but he then grabbed the robot like thing and ripped it from its base." "The thing behind it was his mother Jenova." "Zack then preceded to engage him in a fight but he was slammed into one of the machines in the reactor Sephiroth then went back to his mother that's when I stabbed him through his gut and he fell to the floor I then went to go see how Tifa was doing." "Then there was a crash from the other room and Sephiroth came out with his mothers head in his hands." "Finish...him...Cloud Zack huffed out at me and I charged Sephiroth only to find his sword through my gut." He threw me into the other room and jabbed his sword back into my gut and hung me over the edge." "I found some unknown strength inside me and gragged his sword with my hands and used it to lift him of the ground and thrust him into the mako in the reactor I passed out secconds after that."

"The next thing I knew Zack was helping me walk out of the masion." "The ShinRa army kept trying to take me back to the mansion when we were in town for some reason." "After Zack took care of them we had to return to the mansion anyway." "Zack gave me a first class uniform to wear because he said I had been poisond by mako and I needed to get out of the mako soaked clothes." "We were on the run for a little under a year." "At one point we ended up in Banora Genesis and Angeal's home town." "I was left alone for a long time but when Zack did finaly come back he had Genesis with him so I knew he wasn't killed the first time they fought." "There were two Angeal copies there and don't ask about them it's too complicated to go through." One had a letter with it from Aerith or at least that's who he said it was from." "He read it out loud but I don't remember it too well but it said it had been four years and it was her one hundred and eighty ninth letter and she hopped it would reach him I knew then why I was poisond and Zack wasn't A because we were test subjects for four years and B because he was already used to the feal of mako as I wasn't."

"Then we left by the time we found a ride to Midgar it was well past five years sence we went missing." "We well he talked to me and when he looked over the front of the truck a bullet went past his head." He yelled to the guy driving to drop us off by the rocks." "He set me down up against so rocks and left." "I heard every foot step he took but then his foot steps stopped and I heard the sound of guns being prepted." What ever happens protect your honer as SOLDIER he said but the last word sounded different like he was charging at them then he yelled come and get it." "I heard every thing from screams from the ShinRa infentry men dieing to gun shots it seemed to me like it would never end." "After the gun shots stopped I didn't hear anything." "I had to stay against the rocks for a few minutes before I got the strenght to crawl to Zack." "It started to rain as well and he was just laying there lifeless or so it looked as I crawled closer I saw that he was breathing." "He was able to move his head down to see me." "Za-Zack I stutterd." "He cringed as the pain started to sink in." "For the...both of us... he started." "Both of us I repeated back to him with question in my voice." "Tht's right...your gonna... your gonna he repeated and put his hand on the back of my head and brought it down to his chest and said live." "You'll be, he stopped for a breath, my living legacy he finished." "I lifted my head up as his hand came off of it." "I looked at him for a bit and noticed he was smiling I wasn't sure why he was happy could it be that he would get to see his friend again or that I was still safe, to this day I still don't know." "He then looked over at the Buster Sword." "My honer my dreams he said lifting the sword up to me." "There yours now he said and I grabbed the hilt and he let go and pushed it tward me and his arm fell." "I'm your...living legacy I repeated not believing what I was hearing." "Zack closed his eye's and died." "I cryied out in agany of lossing my friend." "I then saw a flash back of the time's we spent together." "I just couldn't believe it." "As the rain cleard I heard Zacks voice embrace your dreams if you want to be a hero you need to have dreams." "Thank you I wont forget I said back to him." "I found the strength to get up good night...Zack I said turning around and started to drag the sword along but only because I didn't have the strength to pick it up." "It was a long walk back to Midgar." "I heard his voice once again if you see Aerith say hi for me, and at this point I knew he was in the lifestream and I stopped for a seccond before I continued on and then I heard him say this, Hey would you say I became a hero." "Those were his last words to me."

"That must have been hard on you" Sazh said in a reashuring tone. "But where's the sword he gave you?" he asked.

"Well after a lot of things happend including Sephiroth coming back to life, Aerith dieing by his hand, and the planet almost being destroid I didn't feel right using it and i thought it was near its limit and Jabbed it into the area where he died" I answerd him. "Then I got this fusion sword custum made for me after I gave Zack his sword back."

"Materia exsisted then right?" Lightning asked.

"Yeah and why does that have anything to do with it?" I asked in an annoyed tone.

"Well couldn't you have used a healing materia on him?" she asked.

I then moved without thinking and got her to the ground with one hand holding her hands above her head and the other on her neck ready to squeeze the life out of her.

"Don't you think I would have if I could have." "I didn't know how to use materia at that time" I said with tears streaming down my face.

I let her up as I walked to the other side of camp before I did squeeze the life out of her. "I learned soon after how to use them."


	8. Chapter 8

Lightning's pov

Minutes passed by before I spoke up, "hey Cloud I ah I'm sorry I didn't know how much this friend ment to you" I said even though I'm not one for apologies.

"It's ok if you meet him you would under stand how I feel" Cloud responded.

"So Cloud when we end up finishing our journey will you and Tifa go back to where you originally came from?" Hope asked.

"I'm not sure right now what will happen" he responded.

"Hey wait hasn't Vanille been gone way to long" Sazh pointed out.

Just as he said that She came running around the corner. "I found something" she said.

"We were getting worried" Sazh said.

Cloud's pov

After we ate we began to explore the big struckture that was in the water.

"I wounder what the future hold for us" I heard Sazh say.

"I guess it's hard to think of a happy ending" Lightning answered.

"Do we even know where to go" I asked.

"I do" Lightning said getting up.

"Huh" Sazh pondered.

"There" Lightning said pointing to a glowing object in the sky.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Eden" Sazh said surprised.

"So what's Eden?" I asked.

"The Sancum's seat of power." she answered.

"Yeah thats great just charge right in there and give'em a taste of l'cie terror," he stoped, "wait your serious."

"Keep running its die or turn cie'th theres no place for l'cie to hide."

"So what your saying is if they want to fight you want to take it to the front door" I said half guessing what she might say.

"Right" she said.

"This isn't a game" Sazh protested.

"No that's for damn sure it started with Serah the Fal'cie took her and now I'm a l'cie aswell and now we're enemies of the state and the Sanctum's hunting us but the one pulling their strings another fal'cie." "Edne Cocoon's sustainerand guiding light." "It might have even orderd the purge too." "Pulse and Sanctum Fal'cie, tsk there all the same." "Just like we're all the same to them."

"Expendable you mean" I said inturupting her.

"Yes" she answered.

"I'm not going to die a fal'cie slave" she said.

"So what're you going to do?" Sazh asked.

"Destroy it" she answered.

"By your self?" I asked.

"Are you crazy" Sazh added.

"Say you end up pulling it off what'd that get you satifaction" he finished.

"What happens if something happens to Eden?" I asked.

"It's lights out for Cocoon" Sazh answered.

"Do you want that?" he asked in a stern tone.

"Your a pulse l'cie now so you just want to snuff out Cocoon" he continued.

"No what about Serah she said to save Cocoon" Vanille said joining our conversation. "Our focus may even be to make sure Cocoon stays."

"Our focus doesn't matter" Lightning butted in.

"I don't take orders from fal'cie" she said with a stern tone.

"How I live is up to me" she continued.

"Don't you mean how you die?" Sazh asked.

"If you think like that then it's already over" she answered.

"In this situation it's better to pick you path and keep moving" I said.

"Don't worry I'm after the Sanctum I'm not out to destroy the wrold." "If it did come to that I wonder if our 'hero' would try to stop me" she said.

"Now you want to fight Snow just like that your enemies" Sazh half yelled.

"Next time we meet, we might be too" Lightning said walking off.

"Snow deserves it" Hope spat out and followed after Lightning.

I decided to follow after her aswell.

"Cloud where are you going?" Tifa asked.

"I'm sorry but I'm going to follow Lightning, would you stay here with Sazh and Vanille that way our man power is split evenly?" I asked.

"Sure we'll meat up with you when they're ready ok" she answered.

"Alright thank you" I said.

Sazh's pov

"I don't know what I should do" Vanille said.

"That, makes two of us" I said.

"Hey your taking care of us" Vanille said pushing Sazh slightly making him almost fall off.

"I wont be if you keep pushing me like that" I said.

"Hey be care full up there!" Tifa shouted.

"What your not going with the others?" I asked making my way down to Tifa.

"No, Cloud asked me to stay here with you and then when your ready we should regroup."

Lightnings pov

I was focused on getting to Eden some how.

"Hey wait for us" I heard so I turned around and saw Cloud and Hope running up to me.

"I'm going with you" Hope said as he was catching his breath.

"Same here" Cloud said.

"I can't baby sit you any more" I told him.

"I hope your not talking to me" Cloud said half jokingly.

"I can fight." "I'm not afraid' Hope said.

Just as he said that a PSICOM hit squad ran up.

The leader pushed a button which caused an explosion making it imposible to turn back.

We drew our weapon and prepaired for the fight. Hope began to cast his elementail magic spells as he normaly would while Cloud and I charged right in for a frontal attack.

I noticed that Cloud took out one of his other swords. "Is this what you call a worthly enemy?" I asked him.

"No I'm using one sword to attack and the other for blocking bullets" he answered.

With that we finished the hit squad off with little effort.

"Not bad "I said to Hope as I sheathed my weapon.

"Realy thanks" he said once again catching his breath.


	9. Chapter 9

Sazhs pov

"What just happened?" Tifa asked.

"Were they attacked?" Vanille asked.

"The Army's out to play I guess" I said.

"What should we do next?" Tifa asked.

"What should we do, we could stay here but shouldn't we" I started.

"Run" Vanille finished.

"We should run if we rush in now we might get in her way" she finished.

"Yeah your right I guess I mean she can take care of her self plus Cloud is with her" I said.

Then all three of us walked off in the other direction just hoping we would meet back up with them.

Lightnings pov

"There will be more soldiers we need to keep moving" Hope said.

"Are you worried about the other, Lightning" Cloud asked.

"I'm sure they got away Hope" added.

"So can you if you leave now" I said.

"With me It'll be fight after fight." "I don't know how it'll end." "It's anyones guess." "I told him."

'I know that." "But, I need to be stronger, Lightning" he said.

"Call me Light" I told him.

"So where do we go from here?" Cloud asked.

"Through the Gapra Whitewood to Palumpolum." "We'll find a trainsport to Eden" I said.

"I live in Palumpolum I can show you all the short cuts" Hope explained.

"No side trips" I said.

"No need." "I don't think l'cie are welcome at home" he said.

We then made our way through the junk piles and fought more robots, dog creatures, soldiers.

No matter the enemy we cut right through them untill we came up to two soldiers looking at another pulse weapon.

"Any trace of the l'cie?" one of the officers asked.

"Nothing no sign its been activated" the other answered.

"Who's there" one said.

"They noticed us" Hope said.

The fight didn't take all that long.

"Is our path blocked" I asked.

"Maybe, wait let me try something" Cloud said taking out his sword.

He held it up and it began to glow blueish. He then precided to swing the sword straight down and a light beam of sorts was sent at the object blocking our path. Unfortunatly it had no effect.

"What was PSICOM doing here anyway?" Hope asked.

"Maybe they thought we could use this thing to get away" Cloud said.

"Why not try it." "What does this do" Hope said walking behind the machine.

"Hey, your going to hurt your self." "Don't touch that" I told him.

"Well if he can get it to work we can use it to clear the path" Cloud said.

"Just leave it" I said sternly.

"Wow ahh wo wo ahh!" he yelled.

"I told you to leave it" I said again.

"Stop stop already!" he yelled.

"Wow what do you know it's obedient" Cloud said with a laugh.

We were able use the machine to clear our path.

We came to a cliff and when he tried to make it down he fell.

"Nice landing" I said to him.

"Let's just keep moving" Cloud said.

"Give me a minute." "I'm still a bit winded" he said.

"Your to soft" I told him.

And then we continued on our way fighting the same old enemies.

We had to take breaks here and there for Hope and for Cloud. I knew his wound had to be still hurting and recovering so if we moved to fast it could open and we'd have to wait a day or two before we could continue even with our magic.

Then finaly we made it to the old bridge. "Sounds like theres water around we should stop and get a drink, we do need to keep hydrated" Cloud sugested.

"No need" I said back.

Hope came running on to the bridge and ended up tripping porbably cause by him being tierd.

"This isn't working." "I mean your a liability." "You'll just slow me down" I told him.

"What!" he yelled back.

"I'm sorry but I cant protect you when uhh." My chest started to hurt for some reason.

"You can just leave me here.' You've got to take me with you!" he yelled.

"Enough." "The whole world's against us" I said colapsing to one knee. "I can barely keep myself alive." "Let alone some helpless kid!" I yelled back at him before clutching my chest again in pain.

"I don't have time to baby you." "You wanna get tough do it on your own!" I yelled to him.

Then a pink light appeared all around me.

I quickly moved out of the way. Then a huge robotic monster appeared.

"This can not be happening" I said.

It charged at Hope and he fell to the ground.

"Look out!" I yelled while Cloud moved in to block the incoming attack.

He was able push the monster back. I then went to hit it dead in the back but it turned around and blocked almost right away.

"Get up and fight!" Cloud yelled. Hope shook his head and stood up.

I don't know how long we had tried to fight and kill this thing Hope had to constantly heal us while the wound Cloud recieved had be starting to take its toll and began to weaken him.

I looked over and he began to put the smaller sword onto the bigger one.

"So this is your idea of a worthy enemy!" I shouted over to him.

Then he dashed toward me to block the attack that evaded my sight.

His sword then split into the original six sword and created a circle around it. My sword then flew out of my hand an went and joined the circle of swords.

I looked over at Cloud and he was surprised as much as I was. "Follow me" he said. We then jumped up and grabed a sword. We then dashed through the monster leaving a flash of blue and pink. We dashed through and grabed a sword 13 times and then we rose above it and dashed down through the top while images of Cloud and myself joined us in the attack, a burst of energy flew out from the beast when we landed I caught my sword in my hand and Cloud caught the biggest sword out of all the swords in his hand while the rest of the five sword landed poind down in the ground around us.

"What was that?" I asked while colapsing to my hands and knee's.

"That was one of my best attacks, although I don't know why your sword joined mine but sense it did i thought that you should join me but to tell the truth I didn't know how it would work out but we both came out of it fine" he said.

"Right" I huffed out.

"That was how it was for me the first time I preformed that move you'll be able to move soon don't worry" he assured.

"What about the monster?" I asked.

We both looked over and found it on one knee like it was waiting for us to give it a command. Then it trainsformed into a horse with a sword in the form of wings I stood up and placed my hand on its head, then it dissapeared and turned into a rose shaped crystal. Once again I fell to one knee.

"Lightning!" Hope said running over.

"Your brand looks different" Cloud said.

"Was that an Eidolon." "Like l'cie can summon?" Hope asked.

"Magic and mumbo-jumbo." "I must have hit my head on that purge train."

Cloud let out a small laugh before helping me up.

"Um" Hope started, "am I realy in your way" he finished.

I sheathed my sword and brushed past him.

"I'll do better I'll try harder" he said.

"Hope." "We'll toughen you up." "I'm sorry about before" I said to him.

We then walked of the bridge and found a small area with rocks almost all around with a good sized opening.

Then enemy troops jumped us and we began to fight. Every one was tierd so I chose to summom Odin and leave him to deal with him.

Odin took care of them in a flash and then turned back into the crystal once again.

"We'll stop here" I said to both of them.

"Sorry" Hope said lieing up against the wall.

"Don't worry" Cloud said.

"I'll look around." "You two rest up" I said.

When I got back I saw Hope sleeping and Cloud once again cleaning his swords.

Hope then moved a little. "Mom" he said.

"Not by a long shot" I said sitting down next to Cloud who ended up letting out a laugh.

"I think you would make a very stricked mother he" said to me.

"Your right" I told him.

He finished cleaning the last sword and put them back in the sheath. He then removed the sheath and put it on the ground next to him.

Clouds pov

"So we will find a transport to Eden in Palumpolum?" I asked.

"Yes" she answered.

"What do we do when were there?" I asked.

"Head straight for the Sanctum building" she answered.

"You do know where it is right?" I asked.

"No we'll have to ask around" she answered.

"So it's safe to assume you haven't been there before" I said as I leaned against the rocks.

"You would be right" she said.

Then I felt something hit my lap. I looked down and saw that she fell asleep do to exhaustion.

I layed here body against the rocks as carefuly as I could. I then decided to take a look at her weapon.

"This sure is a strange weapon" I thought to my self.

I ran my fingers down the blade. "It's slightly dull and it has many knicks." "Hmm, I guess I'll do her a favor and fix it up while I keep watch" I said as I began to work on the blade.


	10. Chapter 10

Sazhs pov

"No sign of soldiers" Vanille said.

"Guess your friend Lightning got their attention" Tifa said.

"I wounder how Hope is doing?" Vanille asked.

"They were headed towards Palumpolum." "The kids on his way home." "You can bet on it I" reassured her.

"Good for him" Vanille said.

'Kids don't need to be in this situation." "I hope that he can find a way to stay there" Tifa said.

"I agree with you, but it's only going to be good if they can manage to slip in quietly" "All of Cocoon is in the grip of Pulse-phobia." "If a l'cie pops up on the radar, all hell will break loose"I told them.

"Do they even know why they're scared?" Tifa asked.

"Afraid of what they don't know." "Afraid to find out more." "Gets worse the older you get." "I'm terrified of what will happen." "The world probably would be better off without Pulse l'cie. I mean, most of them" I said.

"Gee thanks" Vanille said.

"Let's go" Tifa said.

We went through the maze fighting the robots and bomb like things untill we came to a dead end.

"What dod we do now?" Vanille asked.

"You got me" I said.

"Hey what about this" Tifa said pointing to a control panel.

"That's handy" Vanille said.

After fixing the bridge we continued down the path and we came to an open area and noticed that we could only get through by using four different control panels.

We decided to split up and meet at the final panel. When we finaly used the panel the gate opened and we made our way up and out of the cave.

"We've got to sleep somewhere" I said.

"This look okay to you two" Tifa asked.

"Fine by me" I said.

"Uh-yeah." "This is fine" Vanille said grabbing a tarp like thing and laying it on the ground.

"All set." "Good night" she said.

"Not a care in the world huh" Tifa said.

I began to walk over to the area she picked out when she got back up.

"Oh!" she yelled.

She then grabbed a stick and drew a line.

"What?" I asked.

"Do not cross this line." "Understood." She said.

"Grow up" I said.

She just laughed.

"And good night again" she added.

"Would you just go to sleep already" Tifa said lieing down herself.

Then I layed down myself and went to sleep.

I then woak up some time later to someone crying. I looked over my left sholder to see Vanille's back up against mine.

"Still a kid" I said before going back to sleep.


	11. Chapter 11

Clouds pov

Lightning went in ahead of us to make sure it was safe. I looked over and saw the signal.

"Come on Hope let's go" I told him.

"Can't believe we made it" Hope said.

I looked behind us only to see the door close.

"Guess that'll slow down pursuit" Lightning said.

"There's gotta be troops on this side too" I said.

"He's right we can't relax just yet" Hope said.

"Right Lightning" agreed.

"We press on" I said.

"I'll take point." "You watch our backs" Lightning said.

"Why don't you let me take point" Hope said.

"Can you handle it" Lightning asked.

"It's not a question of can or can't" Hope said.

"Now your learning" Lightning said.

"Keep your eye's front." "We'll watch the rear" I said.

"Yeah no problem" Hope said.

We walked through the area with little enemy encounters and then we came to an elevator of some sort.

"Have you ever been here before." "I mean on duty" Hope asked.

"No I haven't." "This area's covered by Woodlands Observation Battalion" Lightning said.

"You scared?" I asked.

"Not really." "I'm ready to fight if I have to" Hope responded.

Lightning then handed him a survival knife.

"To keep you safe" "I'll want it back" she said as he took the knife.

We then used the elevator and went down to the next floor. We then fought a thing called Beta Behemoth it wasn't a hard fight compared to that of the giant machine we used back in the Vile peaks.

Then Hope heard something.

"What is it?" I asked.

"We need to hide" Hope said grabbing Lightnings' arm.

Then three troops passed by on some flying bikes.

"Are they even looking for us? "I asked.

"Were l'cie and were on the loose" Hope said.

"PSICOM's keeping it all under wraps." "They don't want there failure publicized" Lightning explained.

"Better to loose us than loose their pride, right?" I asked.

"So the other soldiers don't know about us, right?" Hope asked.

"Right they don't know anything about any fugitives" Lightning said walking over to the next elevator.

Once again we continued on with little to no problems.

"Hey Cloud did you do something to my weapon after I fell asleep?" Lightning asked.

"Yes I noticed that it was in bad condition so I fixed it up for you" I explained.

"Thanks I've been meaning to do that myself." "When I woke up I noticed that it looked almost new and unused." "You seem to know a great deal about weapon care" She said.

"Didn't think you were one for small-talk." "Now I have a question for you, if we do fight the sanctum will our "mission" be fofilled?" I asked.

"That I don't know, why does that have to do with you your not from here" she asked.

"It's uh it's" I stopped. "So does that mean I might be doing all this for nothing." "Could fighting the Sanctum" I fell to my knee's. "Could doing all mean I might not be able to see Zack?" "Was the voice lying to me?" I asked myself.

I felt the fear of nothingness. Then a blue light started to shine from under me.

"Cloud!" Lightning yelled which snapped me out of my trance.

I quickly moved out of the way.

"Another Eidolon" Hope said.

"Yeah looks like it" Lightning said.

"What was wrong with you?" Hope asked.

I didn't answer.

When the light cleared the monster looked like Bahamut Zero and was black and gold.

It then charged straight at me. It was to fast for my eye's to keep up with it.

"Cloud!" Hope said pulling my out of the range of its attack.

'Thanks Hope" I said.

First I gave Hope one of my materia. Whats this he asked. "It houses the magic called gravaga use it to slow it down ok" I told him.

"Yeah sure" he said grabbing it.

We bagan fightning it head on attacking then blocking and then attacking once more.

Lightning then remembered that she had Odin. Once she summoned him Bahamut met its match and began to fall back. Then both Eidolons stopped Odin backed of and returned to it crystal form.

"What now" Hope said.

"Wait look at it, it's not attacking" I said.

"You are worthy" a voice said as a bright light enveloped us. When it cleared Bahamut had trainsphormed into a motorcycle.

"I can't believe it" I said hopping on it. I pressed the switch that made the side pannles open. "It is" I said putting my swords inside the metal sheathes but then I noticed that there was an extra slot.

"So what is this?" Hope asked.

"You seem to know a lot about it" Lightning said.

"Well back on my world I built a bike almost exactly like this" I said.

"Almost?" Lightning questioned.

"Well there's one extra slot for a sword I don't have" I said.

"Well you mind if I use it" Lighting asked.

"Be my guest"I said.

"But when it goes back into crystal what will happen to the swords?" Hope asked.

"We'll just take them out before hand' I said.

"It's going to be a lot easier to get around" Lightning said.

"Yeah, It's nice to have this back" I said.

We then headed off till we hit what seemed like a dead end. We got off my bike for a short rest and I decided to turn the bike back into crystal so we could save its power.

"I wounder how the others are doing?" Hope asked.

"Sazh, Vanille, and Tifa who knows" I said.

"Even if they got away, they'll get caught eventually" Lightning said.

"Then they'll most likely have to chose between resistance or surrendering" I said.

"Surrender" Hope paused. "Do you think he's still alive?" he asked.

"You mean Snow?" I asked.

"He's too stubborn to die" Lightning said.

"You make it sound like that's the best quality" I said.

"He's arrogant and chummy from the get-go." "He thinks he's everybody's pal." "Never liked him much" she said.

"He doesn't seem all that bad to me, sounds like a guy you can count on if you in a bind" I said.

"Hmm" Hope said.

"He also leads around a bunch of Kids-gang called 'NORA'" she added.

Where'd they get the name 'Nora'?" Hope asked.

"It's a stupid acronym" She said.

"What is it mean?" I asked.

"Their little code." "Stands for 'No Obligations, Rules, or Authority'" she explained.

"Must be nice" I joked.

"So what is this thing?" I asked.

"It's a Bulkhead Fal'Cie" Lightning answered.

Then something on the Fal'Cie clicked and a door like thing slid down opening up our path.

"So it's almost like a door, huh" I said.

"Yeah looks to be" Hope said as he walked through the door.

We had to take another elevatorand we ended up in a darker area than before.

"This is an army facility for turning wildlife into weapons" Lightning told us.

"Civilians aren't alowed in here, are they?" Hope asked.

"If we see any we'll have to tell any of them" I said.

We had to fight new enemies that were more unpredictable than the robtic type.

"So how do they turn them into weapons?" I asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine" Hope joked.

"It's not important." "Just keep moving" Lightning said.

We fought our way through every beast and exotic monster in the area.

"Through here!" Hope yelled.

"I didn't think that they would come at us with such numbers and such strenght" I said.

"It's to be expected as they are feral creatures' Lightning said.

"Good point" I agreed.

Then the electric fences activated. "Caged in like the animals" Lightning said.

A giant feral creature Hope called a Behemoth jumped down out of no where.

I drew my sword instantly "I'll draw it's attention you two focus on casting spells" I told them.

Lightning's pov

I didn't know how we would deal with such a creature because it doesn't even compair to that of the biotech behemoths that are easaly readable. I decided to go along with Clouds plan because he looked like he could handle it. I looked over at Hope and saw his arm glowing with a black aura. He swung his arm out and a giant ball off black magic befell the behemoth. I had to guess that that was the matiria Cloud gave him.

"Lightning use any type off water attacks it seems to dislike them the most" Hope said.

"Thanks" I said back. I knew this was a good oppertunity to test out my wateraga matiria.

The spell really helped out and it looked like we had it on the run, but then Clouds sword got knocked out of his hands and he then slamed into the ground which made the rest of his swords scater in all directions. The behemoth then charged at him.

"Cloud here take this" I said as I through my gunblade toward him. He caught it without any problem and blocked the incoming attack.

I noticed that one of his swords was neer me. The behemoth then jumped at me, without thinking I grabed his sword and shoved it throught it's neck which caused it to stop moving.

Cloud came running over "are you two ok?" he asked.

"Yeah were fine, here's one of your swords" I said handing it to him.

"Thanks" he said walking to grab the rest of them.

"We've mostlikely tripped the security alarm" I said.

"Which means the Observation Battalion will be looking for us, correct" Cloud said.

"Yes" I answered.

"Let them come" Hope said walking off.

We fought are way through more creatures with no problem. I decided to stop and take a break for Hopes sake. We got to the middle of the plateform "take five" I said.

Hope leaned over and put his hands on his knees and then sat down.

Cloud walked over "I know this might sound stupid but is there any way to find out where the others are?" he asked.

"Not unless you can use telepathy" I told him.

"I thought so, just had to ask" he said.

After a while Hope was just sitting playing with the knife "what's eating you?" Cloud asked. "I can tell you hung up on something" he continued.

"Is it the L'cie thing?" I asked. I got now answer then I realized what it was. "It's Snow isn't it" I said turning to face him.

"What Happened with him?" Cloud asked.

"You wouldn't understand" Hope said to him.

I walked over to him and got down on one knee "We are partners Hope"

He looked up at me and sighed.

"My mother was killed because of him." "It's his fault" Hope said while hitting the but of the knife on the ground. "He needs to pay for it I'm not ready yet, but I will be soon" He bedan to get up. "That's why I followed you two." "Snow dragged us all into this." "You, me, Cloud, and your sister Serah he's gotta pay" He said walking off.

We continued on our way killing enemies jumping up and down crystal like trees. Untill we came across a tree that was in our way. Cloud drew his sword and cut right through it causing it to shatter. "Could I use one of those" Hope spoke up.

"Way too heavy for you" Cloud answered him while sheathing his sword.

"Okay" Hope sighed while taking the knife out.

I looked at the knife and began to go deep into thought about the day I got that knife.

Clouds pov.

"Lightning" I said shaking her.

She snapped out of it. "What's wrong with you?" I asked.

"What do you mean" she said trying to play it off.

"Don't be stupid It's not like you to space out like that" I said.

"It doesn't matter" she said and turned to walk away I grabbed her arm.

"Were you thinking about your sister?" I asked.

"I said it doesn't matter" she said pulling away.

And that was that, we continued on our way.


	12. Chapter 12

Lightning's pov

After fighting are way through more enemies we came to another elevator.

When we got off we found a group soldiers on the ground.

"What happened here?" Hope asked.

"Bad luck" I answered.

"They were mostlikely trying to find us but ran in to something else" Cloud said.

"We can't just leave them like this" hope said as he walked toward one of the soldiers.

"Don't touch anything" I said grabbing him by his shoulder and pulled him away. "Controll your emotions." "If you want to survive you for get about sympathy." "How can I explain" I said turning my back to him.

"Well think of it as a strategy." "Focus on your main goal and shut out everything else" Cloud answered for me.

"You need to still your mind and act on instinct" I added.

"Good I'll take anything to help me get through this" Hope said.

"Don't ever let doubt take over cause it WILL cripple you" Cloud said.

"I'll call it operation Nora" Hope said as he walked forward.

"NORA?" I asked.

"My mothers name" Hope answered.

"Your revenge?" Cloud asked.

'I know getting revenge wont...it wont bring her back." "I know that so don't say a word about it." "But sorry wont cut it" Hope said.

"Snow didn't kill your mother the sanctum did" I said to him.

"Who's side are you on!" Hope bursted out.

"The side of truth" I said.

"Fine, I'll fight the sanctum with you I'll learn to survive" Hope said as he pulled the knife out and walked away.

I just let out a huff and followed after him along with Cloud.

We fought are way through more enemies and reached an abnormaly sized elevator.

Hope walked over to the control panal and pressed the up button.

As the elevator started move Hope said that he had a really bad feeling about this.

Finally the elevator stopped and I realized that Hope was right because some sort of metal robot turtle jumped down at us.

"This is it." "Operation Nora!" yelled as he charged the robot. Cloud quickly grabed two of his swords and charged its left side and I charged the right.

Soon after the fight began we found out that it can change its elemental weakness.

"Lightning when it uses the attack that uses the leaves on its back focus any magic attack on the inside of its shell" Cloud advised.

Cloud was right that was its weakspot. The fight was lasting longer than we though and we were becoming exhausted. "Cloud use Bahamute Zero!" I yelled to him as I used Odin.

Odins and Bahamute's attacks were able to cut through the metal unlike our attacks giving us a chance to rest.

Finaly the turtle stopped moving and Odin returned to crystal and Bahamute transformed and the three of us climmed on. The door on the far side openned and we rode out of the building and down to the edge of the beach. Both Hope and I got off to take a closer look.

"That's it Palumpolum" Hope said.

"You live their right?" Cloud asked.

Hope looked as if he was not going to see it again, "we'll stop in we we get there" I said.

"No." Hope said shaking his head. "We're L'cie now, and no one's there but my dad."

"Hope, you need to let him know what happend" Cloud said. I looked over and his face was covered with sadness and regret.

"Well let's go" Cloud said revving the engine. Hope and I climed back on and we found a path that would take us there.

Sazhs pov

Vanille, Tifa, and I walked into a forest after we left our sleeping place this morning.

"Fresh air, Nice" Vanille said stopping by a patch of flowers.

"So, where are we heading?" I asked.

"Don't know" Vanille said.

"You don't know!" I half yelled.

"Just like a kid" Tifa said.

"What?" I asked her.

"No nothing just something I remembered from my world" Tifa said.

"Vanille I thought you had somewhere in mind the way you took off" I said.

"I followed the smell" she answered.

"What" I said.

Vanille then walked over to the flowers and took a deep breath, "smells nice all naturey" she said.

I then took in several deep breaths, "just smells damp." "I think something bit me too."

TIfa started to laugh a little. "Whats so funny?" I asked her.

"You act like her father" Tifa said.

Then a lot of planes flew over, "hide!" Vanille yelled.

We rushed behind the trees to our left.

"Skyfleat" I said "Closest city that way is Palumpolum."

"That's not good." "Do you think Cloud and the others were caught in a net?" Tifa asked.

"I hope not but what should we do?" Vanille asked.

"What do we do." "Right now what can we do?" I asked the group.

"Right, no choice." "We run the other way" Vanille said.

"Which would be, to Nautilus" I said heading off.

Tifas pov

We fought are way through many new enemies, After we fought some type of plant monster Sazh asked us if we had some weed killer in a joking manner.

We made are way through more enemies trees and many other things.

Finaly we came to a cliff over looking our path that we would end up taking.

"Hey Sazh, tell me about your self, I mean we hardly know each other" I asked.

"Any family?" Vanille asked.

"I have a little boy" he answered. That's why he acts like a father I thought to my self.

"Oh!" "So you're married?" Vanille asked with excitement.

"I was, yeah" Sazh answered.

"We gotta get you home." "Your son needs you" Vanille said.

"Why not the three of us can do it" I agreed.

"It's too late" he answered.

"Is it this whole L'cie thing?" I asked.

"How'd you" he began.

"You may be a L'cie but your still a daddy" Vanille interupted.

"Your right" Sazh admitted.

"So what's his name?" I asked.

Sazh walked over to the edge of the cliff and began to tell us about Dajh and the night of a fire works festival well that was before someone from the military showed up and after that he kind of trailled off and thats where the story stopped.

Eather he didn't want to talk about it any more or something really bad happened.

"Sazh are you ok?" Vanille asked.

"Huh, oh yeah' Sazh answered.

"Come on, pops!" "You've really got to keep it together,okay?" "Now,let's go" Vanille said.

"Now I've got kids looking out for me." "Some dad I am" Sazh said.

I walked up to him and patted him on his back, "isn't that what being a family is about" I said giving him a friendly smile.

"Yeah your right" he said and returned the smile and we headed down the right side of the cliff.

We fought more enemies here and there, took in the scenery and then we came apon a tree.

"Hey Sazh you wanna stop and take a rest" I asked.

"Yeah that might be for the best" he said walking over the the tree and sitting down next to it.

"Fights wearing you out?" I asked.

"No that's not it Sazh" answered.

"Well you look tired, not enough sleep?" Vanille asked.

"I guess" he answered.

"Not surprising." "Cute girls like us, it's hard to keep your eyes closed, huh" Vanille said.

"I'm just going to lie down for a bit" Sazh said rolling over.

Sazh's Chocobo chick flew over to us and landed in Vanilles hands.

"Being made a L'cie it's not easy." "I mean look even I'm kind of worried." "Even if we don't know what'll, happen we have to keep our dreams alive." "Have something to look forward too, you know" Vanille said.

"As long as we're together we should be fine" I assured her.

"Next stop is Nautilus, the city of dreams" Sazh said.

We exchanged a quick yes as the Chocobo chick flew back into Sazh's hair.

Vanille and I then lied down up against the tree and rested for a while our selves.


	13. Chapter 13

Tifa's pov

I felt something hit the left side of my face over and over again, I stated to wake up and noticed it was Sazh's chocobo chick.

"Vanille wake up" I said as I woke her up.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Sazh isn't here" I answered.

"What we need to go find him!" she shouted.

That's when the chocobo flew in the direction of the lake to the south.

We follow it down the path and found Sazh down by the edge of the lake. He looked very deep in thought, Vanille started to walk toward him I put my hand on her shoulder and asked if we should just let him be but she walked over regardless.

"Sazh" she said walking over to him and crouching down by the water.

"Huh" he said looking around, "you scared me" he added.

"What's up?" she asked.

"I'm just thinking" he said.

"You shouldn't blame yourself" I said walking over.

"She's right, you know." "You can't control who a Fal'Cie picks for a focus" Vanille said agreeing with me.

"My son Dajh." "He got picked." "He's a L'cie." Sazh said.

I walked over and sat down next to Vanille and Sazh started to tell us about the day that it happened.

'He said that he wanted to see Fal'cie." "So, I took him to go on a tour of the Euride Gorge plant." "That's where I thought I would surprise him with the Chocobo Chick to take home, but the second I turned my back...into the energy plant he went." "I went in after him shouting his name every place I checked." "Then I found him on bench asleep with a brand on his hand." "Apparently, those pulse L'cie had snuck inand tried to attack the sanctum Fal'cie." "It did the only thing it could and made Dajh a L'cie to protect it." "My son, picked by a sanctum Fal'cie." "He's a hero." "But we are pulse L'cie." "Dajh's enemies." "PSICOM showed up soon after to take custody of him." "I kept telling them that they could take him but they used their military power to take him anyway." "Then it was one test after another." "Eveny then after all that they couldn't figure out his focus." "Maybe it was to look for pulse L'cie maybe it was killl'em." "Eather way how could a kid that young even stand a chance?" "After he was made a L'cie Dajh had some way of sensing things from pulse." "He was the one who found the pulse Fal'cie." "But "the kid can't fight." 'So, that's why I put my self on the train to purgeville." "I figured his focus had something to do with destroying the pulse Fal'cie." "Thought I could do it for him, and well you know the rest." "If i was right about his focus he's probably a crystal already." "Of corse, if he was supposed to take out that things L'cie then eather we die, or he's a cie'th" he said looking at his pistol.

"Die Really?" Vanille asked.

The Chocobo flew and landed on Sazh's gun and shook its head as if it was saying no don't do what I think your going to do.

"It's a pickle all right" he said placing his pistol back in the holster. "But, the bird-the bird says no" Sazh said walking away.

"The bird is right you know" I said to him. "I know is all" he said as he passed. Vanille and I followed soon after. We then crossed the lake by jumping from rock to rock, fought our way up to another open area and then the path split.

"Well how about this" I began, "why don't I take the right path and you two take the left and we can meet up at the end of the path" I suggested.

"Sounds good but what if your path is a dead end?" Sazh asked.

"Well I'll simply head back the way I came and meet up with you that way, just wait a little while" I said.

"Ok see you up ahead" Vanille said as she and Sazh headed off.

Luckly the path on the right wasn't all that long and I soon found them trying to sneak past some over grown forest animle.

They were doing fine untill they woke up and rushed at them. I quickly ran up to them and pulled them out of the way just in time.

"Thanks" Vanille said.

"We owe you one" Sazh said with laugh. The fight was a pain but the magic they possesed help alot more than any physical attacks, but that's were I came in I drew their attention away from them while they casted magic by the second, which was faster than casting materia, which I did do now and again.

Well regardles the fight ended with me out of breath, the creatures on the ground, and Sazh and Vanille just about falling over from over extended magic use. We rested up for a short time and headed up the path toward the back of where the creatures had fell.

We walked down the path and found an electric fence with a hole in it, we carfully made are way through it and walked to the station for the boat to Nautilus. It started to rain and we ran for cover.

"When it rains around here it pours" Sazh said.

"And then it rains some more" I finished for him.

"Sazh, do you hate pulse?" Vanille asked. I thought it to be a strange question because of the fact of what they had to give up to live while running from the military.

"Why wouldn't I." "Look at this mess it's gotton us into." "Then there's the fact of Cloud and Tifa being here and them getting swept into this as well." "Of course it's not to say I always hated it." "Seemed fishy." "All that sanctum ranting about the 'threat from pulse'." "Only a matter of time before they strike." "Pulse is infested with monsters." "Scare after scare, and not a shred of proof." "Tired old cynics like me, we don't just swallow that tabloid crap." "No, no. not me." "I figured the sanctum was up to something crooked." "At least untill I got dragged in" Sazh said.

"Yeah" Vanille said in a really sad tone. That is when I really though something was up but I knew I should save it for another time.

"Now that I think about it, all this purge business, it really only happened because Dajh found that pulse Fal'cie" Sazh added.

"Your wrong." "Don't blame him." "It was all," Vanille stopped.

"Yeah your right." "It was that scum from pulse behind it" he said.

Vanille than ran out into the rain, that's when I knew she was from this place called pulse.

"Your getting soaked" I said pointing out the obvious.

"I'll be fine" she said turning around with a big smile on her face. "It's only water" she added looking up at the sky.

Off in the distance I saw the ship that would take us to Nautilus, as the boat pulled up we got ready to board.


	14. announcement

I will be re editing this story to correct any mistakes that have been made. I will be going through each chapter. When the next chaper comes out that is when I will be done with the editing.


	15. Chapter 14

Lightnings pov

We arrived in Palumpolum soon after we got on the dirt road path that lead directly to the center of a Guardian Corps camp. We ran up to and hid behind a type of army vehicle, in fact there were many of them in a row.

"Damn there are a lot of PSICOM personel here" Cloud said.

"Your wrong." "These aren't PSICOM they are Guardian Corps" I explained to him.

"How do you tell the difference?" he asked back.

"We don't have time for crap like that!" I shouted at him.

"Keep your voices down" Hope said.

"Whatever" Cloud and I said turnning our heads in different directions.

I heard a small laugh from Hope and shook it off.

Then a voice boomed over the area, "attention all units." "This is Director Rosch, PSICOM division." "Cocoon is caught in the grip of a Pulse-born terror." "If we allow L'cie activity to continue, panic will rip our world apart." "The peace and stability we have fought so hard to maintain will be nothing but a memory." "Pulse L'cie threaten our very way of life." They must be eliminated." "There can be no hesitation." "That is all" Rosch said as thousands of havoc skytanks and many other weapons,soldiers,and biomechanical weapons came into the same area.

"This is going to be a pain in the ass" Cloud said holding his head in his hand.

"You said it" I said agreeing with him.

"Well if we can still make it to the drain pipe over their we should be fine" Hope said pointing in the direction we needed to go.

"Ok so where to from there?" I asked.

"Up the hile to that pipe over there" Hope pointed to the massive pipe towards the northeastern corner.

"Ok sounds good so we get on a train to Eden and punch into the heart of the sanctum?" Cloud asked.

"Yeah that's the plan" I answered.

"Now to get passed these guys" Hope said.

Then toward the south end of the city there was a large explosion. While the soldiers were distracted we were able sneek on by to the drain pipe.

"What was that?" Hope asked.

"You got me, but it worked to are advantage" Cloud said jumping down into the pipe.

"Come on let's move" I said walking off toward our next destination. We walked through the pipeline and the up the hill to the large drainage pipe.

"This it?" Cloud asked.

"Yeah" Hope answered. We walked in and went down the pipeline untill it opened up to a huge underground room housing a Fal'cie.

"You sure this place wont be found that easly?" Cloud asked.

"Don't worry only kids like me only know about it will be fine" Hope reassured.

"They'll find it." "They'll call in a team and cavass the whole tunnle system." I explaned.

"Then let's move" Cloud said walking past us and down the stairs.

"So where's this thing come out anyways?" I asked when we cought up to Cloud.

"Well it, I don't really know for sure" Hope confessed.

"Hey, don't were gonna find out today then" Cloud said activating the controll panle to his right. The platform moved into place and we walked on. After it locked into a new path we walked up the stairs and by the Fal'cie.

"Names Carbuncle" Hope stated.

"Is it one of our enemies?" Cloud asked.

"Yes being Sactum and all" he answered

"So, kill him and cut off the cities food supply." "That'll make us popular" I said.

"I think people hate us enough as it is" Cloud said.

"Yeah, hungry people make for angry people" I said. We walked through the passage and on more moving platforms till Cloud stopped. "What's wrong?" I asked. He walked over to one of the food packaging places along the railing and inspected it.

"Just as I thought" He said in a realy confused tone.

"What is it?" Hope asked.

"Nothing to worry about" Cloud said as he walked away. We continued for some time when Hope spoke up.

"Look at us." "Pulse L'cie, using a Sanctum Fal'cie to tell where we're going." "Sorta strange." He said walking over to the edge over to the edge to get a better look.

"Not really" I said following him. "We've relied on them our whole lives." "The food we eat, the light, and water, it's all from the Fal'cie." "You know I think Cacoon was really built for them." "The rest of us, we're just leeches, parasites."

"You think?" Cloud asked as he stepped beside me.

"They protect us, nurture us." "They take care of us, well normal people." "They treat us like we're special, almost like" Hope trailed off the clapped his hands together and turned to us. "Like we're pets"

My eyes widend. "Like pets" I repeated walking closer the edge. "To them, we are just pets." "That's it." "Now it all makes sense." "I've been so blind." "I was born into a Fal'cie world, raised on a Fal'cie leash." "It was the only way I knew how to live." "When it was taken from me, I was completely lost." "Without a master to follow, my life had no purpose." "Hope listen to me." "This L'cie curse it took every thing from me." "My dreams, my future." "I didn't want to think." "So I fought instead." "As long as I was fighting, nothing else was real." "I was running away." "And you two you got swept along with me."

"No!" "I did this of my own free will" "I will never have someone make my choices for me." Cloud said.

Hope spoke up after that "but LIghtning, I don't understand."

"Operation Nora is over." I said to him.

"What?" Hope said in shock. "NO!" "You told me to fight!"

"I made a mistake!"

"But, you can't do this." "You can't just build something up like that, then abandon me."

"I wont abandon you." "I wont."

Clouds pov

We all walked on down the path without a word untill Hope spoke up once more.

"So what do we do now?" "We are L'cie, ticking time bombs." "Enemies of Cacoon." "If we can't follow the plan do we just lay down and die?"

"I didn't mean we should give up." Lightning said.

"Then what battles do we fight and against who? "Tell me that!"

"I don't know yet."

"You don't know yet?"

"Guy's we don't have time for this." I said but was completely ignored.

"That's right I don't know yet." "But I do know that we can't loose hope."

"Hope, L'cie have no hope." Hope said walking over to the near by stairs and sitting down.

"There's you."

"It's my name, not who I am."

"I was just like you." "My parents died."

"Sorry to here that." I said.

"I had to be strong for Serah, so I thought I needed to forget my past." "And I became Lightning." "I though that by changing my name, I could change who I was." "I was just a kid." "Lightning." "It flashes bright, then fades away." "It can't protect, it only destroys." Lightning walked over to the stairs and sat down next to Hope. "Serah tried to tell me, butI wouldn't listen." Lightning the seemed to go into her deeper memory to recall what had happend. "I threatened her." "The only one who believed her was Snow."

"Don't say it!" Hope yelled which seemed to jolt lightning out of her 'dream'. "Don't say his name." "It brings everything back." "I keep playing it in my head, what happend to her." "Then I see his stupid face and...and he's smilling." "How can he smile when she's dead?" Lightning reached out to put her hand on his shoulder when he stood up. "I know!" "There's nothing I can do about it." "I hate knowing that." "No matter what happens, she's not coming back!" "When I was fightning there was not time to think about it." "It felt good to just give in." "Now you start talking about hope..." Lightning stood up then walked over to him and grabbed his hand. "I'm sorry I messed up."

"No...it's my fault." She said. We stayed there for a small amount of time then moved on. We soon came to an elevator Lightning walked over and openned the door. I looked over at Hope who looked at his brand and sighed.

"You should talk to your dad." I said.

"What?" "Why?" He shot back.

"Fighting without hope is no way to live." "It's just a way to die." Lightning said as the three of us walked into the elevator. "I want you to find the hope you were named for." "Staying alive we can help you with but we can, we can't give you hope." "If you go to see your father..." Hope looked down at his brand once more.

"You think meeting my dad will make anything better?" "He's never listened to a word I've said." "He's just, he'll never believe all this L'cie stuff." The elevator began to move up.

"Listen Hope he's family right?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Then he'll understand Hope and besides if worst comes to worst you should see him one last time." A few tears began to form in my eyes.

"What do you mean one last time?"

"The way we're going I don't know when you'll have a chance to see him again, and by then it could be too late."

"Cloud what's wrong?" Lightning asked.

"Remember that story I told you about my friend and how we went to my home town?"

"Yes I remember it clearly." Lightning said while rubbing her neck.

"Well sence it's my home town it should be obvious that my family lived there." "When Sephiroth attacked the town he killed my mother and all the towns people including Tifa's father." "That's when she went up to the reactor, I soon followed after I help Zangen her martial arts teacher save what people we could." "That's when I found her half dead on the bottom of the stairs." "And you know the rest." Bye now the tears we're streaming down my face. "Then after Zack passed the Buster sword on to me and I walked to midgar due to the trama, mako poissioning, and Zack's death I put Zack's memories and fighting styles into my own and created a fake SOLDIER image and used Tifa's memories of me and created 'the new me', that's where my fight to save the planet began after Tifa found me." "After some time and after metting a few new friends and traviled to The Temple of the Ancients with Aerith and gained the Black mareria." "Sephiroth could controlled me and forced me to give it to him." "Aerith then went to the city of the Ancients and prayed for a way to stop Sephiroth, my friends and I arrived and met up with her." "That's when he tried to make me kill her, if it wasn't for my friends I would have but they stopped me." "That's when Sephiroth jumped down and stapped her ending her life." "I stood their unable to do a thing to stop him."

"Cloud." Lightning and Hope said in a compasionate tone. Lightning walked over and pulled me into a hug.

"It's ok you did what you could." she reasured.

"Hope what I'm trying to say is enjoy your family life while you have it." "Because you never know when something will be taken from you."

"We'll reach the top soon come on get ready." Lightning said. I quickly cleaned my face and tried to get back into a fighting mode. The elevator openned up and we walked out.

A reporter's voice boomed over head. "In a recnetly convened emergency conference the Sanctum announced that the fugitive L'cie have been located. All I could think was that they found Tifa and the others. We walked out into the sun, "The military plans to apprehendthe L'cie and carry out a public execution." ,and looked up at a monitor to see a airship. "These images coming to you live from the scene in Palumpolum." Then we saw us when a whole lot of military personel came out of every direction.

"These are L'cie show no mercy" "They aren't people they're targets." Rosch said as his airship came closer to the ground.

"Start running I'll keep them busy." Lightning said.

"You mean we'll take care of them." I said grabing two of my swords.

"But." Hope said backing up a little.

"You survive." She said. Hope backed up in shock then there was an explosion to the left of us. We saw Snow and a women in a blue robe fighting the last of the soldiers on the ledge. He threw a blue crystal in the air and shot at it then threw the gun to the women and jumped off the ledge. Two creatures formed out of the crystal, I'm assuming that it was another Eidolon, and trainsphormed into a motorcycle which landed on a path of ice that spred around the whole area. The women jumped on the back of it and began to shoot at Rosch snd the other soldiers. Following them was a man in black pants and shirt with a red cape and a gold gauntlet on his left arm he also had brown boots with gold plates on them. He was riding on a scrap of metal like a snow board.

"It's him!" Hope exclaimed. Lightning grabbed Hope and we began to run while taking out soldiers hear and their while they were distrackted. Rosches ship was flying upward to avoid the gunfire. Lightning and I finished off the rest of the soldierd in front of us as Snow's motorcycle just about clipped our heads. Snow landed and did a three-sixty.

"Lightning!" he yelled with a smile and a wink a few soldiers came up and pointed their guns at us. Then the man with the red cape came down the same path and sent the scrap of metal at one of the soldiers and then took out a costom made revolver with three cylinders and three barrels and quickly finished off the rest.


End file.
